Arch support



Patented Oct. 8, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT UF FICE .2,408,792

ARCH SUPPORT l -MeyerMargolin,fElgin, Ill. .originaiappneation August 17, 1939, seriai'No.

290.559, Divided and thisapplieation January 1.1943, 'SeralNm 470,994

51Claims.

'-This application 'lis -a #division of application Serial No, 290,559, filed August 17,"15939 for Resilient breathing insole, now Patent No.'2,307,416.

vMy'invention relates to an archsupport and fmore specifically-to an `arch supporting device comprising'expanded Irubber 'which is provided with such construction `ras to make possible a constant and forced breathing inithe shoe.

The arch "support of 'my 'invention' generally J'comprises an integrally mlde'dlresilie'nt and-flexi'blematerialwhich' is highest along the center' of its-longitudinalfaxisfaridi tapers downirom there to fa featheredge thickness 'atr its periphery.

A rigid #member "may be lemployed along the longitudinalaxisf in order to provide the neces- -sary frigid "basevfsupport *for vrthe Iarch support.

Across'the'.areas of sappreciable thickness in this 'device *extend vtransverse :grooves of vsubstantial widthhavirrgf-a substantially rectangular cross- 'section When-'thisfdevice is -'-employed in the shoe and is flexed'fin lthe :act vof Walking, the lgrooves 'l are alternately expanded-land contracted to provide l a forcedf'breathing which l`forces air -circulatedthereby up'tl'iroug'llA perforationswhich extend through' the 'thickness of this arch supperforated in suc'h-Ta mannerfso that'the perforav tions f correspond #to fthe ""perforations' in the' resilient material' lwhich-"com1n"ises the *arch y-sup port. -iIn"this1wa'y the' breathing is not'interfered with. 'The-'archlsuppoitiisadaptedto be placed within theiordinary shoe in order 'to correct-the positioning ofthearch of the wearer. Ity also acts as a resilient cushion to the footA of the wearer and may carry in the metatarsal region an arch support which consists in an integrally molded raised area of rubber.

At the side` of my arch support and extending upwardly and around the long arch of the foot is an extension to afford support for the longitudinal arch. In order to gradually build up the support in this particular area, I provide recesses in the form of holes larger than the ordinary air perforations located in this area which are adapted to receive projections which are carried by cookies. These cookies may be added on to the arch support to build up the thickness to get additional height in this area. These cookies may be in the form of relatively thin resilient wafers which carry projections on their underside and recesses on their upper side so that a multiupon the other in orderfto build up 'and provide .theultimatedesired thickness in this particular "area, as v"shown in my `co-pending application Serial No. 272,364,`ri0W'Patent No. 2,207,632.

'In vorder tofacilitate thisf forced breathing I may'provide communicating grooves'or arteries "which connectthe l-transversefgrooves with the periorations through the arch Vsupport so that Lthe air Athat'iscompressed and forced from these transverse rv'grooves in the act of AWalking-maybe 'quickly-'and fully rv"dispersed -through said Ygrooves orarteries, throughv saidperforations and'hence in contact with the foot of the wearer. These Vgrooves or arteries may beinlthe" form ofv grooves molded in thebottom surface 'of the `resilient material-such as rubber-'or'they may be in the form/of channelsin the interior of the molded material; said f channels extending throughV the molded .material and connecting the respective groovesand perforations.

If-"have found thatA these channels may be'from .a 'commercial standpoint A'formed by molding themas grooves on the bottom surface. When Ifemploy these connecting-grooves or arteries, I

fmay .or may not'useithe reinforcing bosses at the Vends vor"theperforations since with these grooves the "bosses may not be necessary 'for proper'breathingl action.

Accordingly, itvisthe object of myinvention tof providea novel arch-supportingmember vfor a shoe consisting ofa resilient material suchvasV expanded ',lrubber, said arch Y support being `provided with means for causing forced breathing therethrough. t j y It yis". `a furtherl object Aof .my invention i to provide a'novel rcellular-rubberarch support with-a rigid support positioned therein.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a novelarch support in which grooves are positioned on the fleinble portions in order to provide forced breathing through perforations located through the arch support area.

Referring noW to the drawing, vFigure yl is a plan view ofthe molded arch support of my invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom View of the arch support of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a cross-section taken along the line 4;-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a cross section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring now more specically to the drawing, in Figure 1, I represents the molded resilient arch support of my invention. This arch support is adapted to be superimposed on the'insole of a shoe to provide any desired support of the arch and is formed for example by molding expanded rubber of the configuration shown. II represents the U-turned long arch support and I2 represents an integrally molded metatarsal arch support. Perforations I5 are homogeneously spaced throughout the area of the arch support to provide proper breathing and air for the foot.

In the long arch support are recesses I6 Which 4are adapted to receive mating projections by means of which the height of this arch support is increased in this particular area as shown in Figure 4.

In Figure 2 which shows the bottom of this arch support there are transverse grooves I8 which extend partially across the arch support and which, upon flexing, drive air through the perforations I5 to the area of the foot.

At the bottom of the perforations I5 are bosses I9 which increase the softness of the arch support and which assist in the passage of air from the groove I8 through the perforations I5,

As shown by dotted lines in Figure 2 a rigid metal support may be employed, as by molding within the arch support, to assist in maintaining `the resilient arch support in proper shape. The arch support construction of my invention makes possible an integrally molded resilient unit of expanded rubber by means of which the ordinary difficulties of accustoming the foot to an arch support are obviated. The resilient material of which this arch support is made makes the support extremely comfortable.

Hitherto, these supports have been made of a metal frame work covered with leather and such arch support is decidedly uncomfortable for the foot. A rubber support has been impractical largely because of the problem of foot comfort. By means of the system of forced breathing which -I effect as shown by the grooves and perforations, I have obviated the difficulties hitherto experifenced in this art. All portions of the base area of my arch support that are ilexed carry the transverse grooves which, when ilexed, force air through the perforations to the foot. Y

Thus it can be seen that my invention comprises a novel resilient arch support molded preferably from expanded rubber such as sponge rubber or closed cell rubber and I provide for comfort features in the form of the resiliency of the molded material which has the integrally formed metatarsal and long arch. By long arch I mean the arch which extends from the heel to the ball of the foot along the inner side of the foot. l

I have shown many novel forms in which I can obtain the desired forced breathing effects which add so greatly to the comfort of my construction. It is this particular breathing action which makes practical the rubber arch support here shown since Without this decided discomfort would result.

Although I have stated hereinbefore that the resilient arch support of A,my invention may be formed of resilient material and I have particularly mentioned expanded rubber, it is understood that I may use other types of resilient maobtain the desired results but terial and specifically by Way of example, but not by way of limitation, I include cork, resilient brous materials, and resilient synthetic plastics, expanded or not.

I Wish it to be understood that the many examples and modications I have shown in my invention are for the purpose of broadly explaining the same and that I intend to be limited not by the specic construction by means of which I only by the appended claims. l

I claim:

1. An arch support comprising a molded expanded rubber, perforations through said arch support, transverse grooves acrossY the bottom of said arch support, and bosses aty the bottom of said perforations. l

2'. An arch support comprising a molded expanded rubber, perforations through said arch support, transverse grooves across the bottom of said arch support, said grooves having terminating walls at each end so as to 'cause air to be pumped up through said perforations.

3. An arch supportcomprising amolded expanded rubber, perforations through said arch support, transverse grooves across the bottom of said arch support, said grooves having terminating Walls at each end so as to cause airvto be pumped up through said perforations, and bosses at the bottom of said perforations.

4. A-n arch support comprising a molded expanded rubber, a sidewardly and upwardly extending integral lap, perforations through said arch support, and transverse grooves across the bottom of said arch support, said grooves having terminating'walls at eachend'so as to cause air to be pumped up through said perforations.

5; An arch support comprising a moldedv expanded rubber; a sidewardly and upwardly extending integra-l lap, perforations through said arch support, and transverse grooves across the lbottom of said arch support, said grooves having terminating Walls ateach end so as to` cause air to be pumped .up through said perforations, and bosses at the bottom yof said perforations, i g

, MEYER MARGOLIN. 

